


He Was Already Gone

by orphan_account



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Panic Attacks, References to Depression, Sadness, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, damn sorry again guys, everything dies later tho, im so sorry guys, the full sadness package baby, well... there’s fluff at one point lmao
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:22:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22540129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Zim finds out about Dib’s scars and is kinda concerned.Or basically, Dib goes out to hunt for big foot, and it all goes downhill.Yup, 100 percent genuine happy ending. Yup, totally not lying or anything, yup.
Relationships: Dib & Zim (Invader Zim), Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66





	He Was Already Gone

**Author's Note:**

> Dude, look at me cranking these fanfics out no sweat.

It was about five at night and the sun flanted the last of its golden rays in a perfect ombre of red and orange and purple. To bad Dib Membrane was unable to see the colors in all their magnificent glory. Alas, he was buried deep within woods far from his home in the city.

He was busy setting up traps for bigfoot. He had been stringing snares to hopefully catch the creature by surprise. Unfortunately, he had stepped in one on his way back.

Dib now dangled helplessly from the tree. If he was being honest, he was more pissed than distressed. He repeatedly tried to reach to the tied foot with no avail. 

Dib muttered curses to himself, still trying to reach the rope’s grasp around his foot. He found himself breaking a sweat and took a break to sway back and forth. 

Not thinking, he removed his trench coat from his upside down form and tossed it to the side. Without it, he could possibly get more leverage to swing himself up? Does that make sense? He didn’t really know. All Dib knew was that he was sweaty and tired.

Sadly, Dib didn’t think about the consequences of removing his jacket. All of his cuts would show through to the world. All the cuts that proved just how weak he was. Thank GOD he had remembered to rebandage them this morning.

After a few more attempts of trying to loosen the ropes hold, he gave up. He dangled upside down trying his best to come up with another idea to get him down, but failed to think with the blood already rushing to his head.

Dib’s scowl deepened when he saw magenta eyes staring his way. He crossed his arms, “What are you doing, Zim?”

The Irken revealed himself from the bushes. He smiled at the human smugly, “I could be asking you the same thing  _ human. _ Are you as humans say ‘hanging around’?” Zim giggled at the last part of his comment. The irony was unbearable.

Dib rolled his eyes, “ _ No. _ I’m not… well… I am? But you know what I mean.”

Zim chuckled at the human’s stupidity and hastily cut the rope from Dib’s ankle with one of his Pak legs. The boy fell with a pained thud before coughing and dusting himself off.

“So were you actually doing something important, or watching me like a creep?”

Zim waves a hand at the human. “Oh please, Zim is no creep! I simply need to observe anything that may endanger my mission,” he pointed a claw at the human, “ _ especially you.” _

Dib gave another eye roll to the Irken.

“Speaking of which, what’s with the bandages?”

“What banda-“ Dib glanced at his arms and back at his coat.  _ Shoot, fuck, damn, shit- _

Dib practically ran to the trench coat, frantically tugging the fabric over his form.

Zim ran over to the human, managing to wrestle the coat away from him. He held it away from the boy, “ENOUGH! What is it Dib-thing? Why is this so important to you?”

Dib nervously picked at the bandages, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Why don’t you want me to see?” Zim pointed to the froppy bandages sitting upon Dib’s arms.

Dib crosses his arms in a pitiful attempt to hide them, “Well that’s none of your business, is it Spaceboy?”

Zim scowled. He threw Dib’s trench coat behind him and made his way over to the boy. 

Dib held up his hands, “Look man, I know you’re probably-“

**_SWIPE._ **

In a matter of seconds Zim’s claws dug through the newly wrapped bandages. Dib stood silent in both fear and shock from what just happened.

Zim took Dib’s arm and removed the bandages only to find… scars. Millions of scars both new and old of various sizes spread across the boys arm. 

Zim’s antennae twitched, “Who… did this?”

Dib sighed, “No one Zim. Now let me go.”

That comment only made the Irken want to respond louder, “WHO?!”

Dib put his head down in defeat. He opted to looking at the ground below him rather than at the Irken, “Me.”

Zim tilted his head in confusion and skepticism, “eh? Why?”

Dib continued to stare at the ground. He was full of embarrassment and guilt. He honestly didn’t want to be in this situation anymore.

Zim continued to stare at the human, awaiting the response that was never going to be. Why would Dib do something like this? Why  _ his  _ human?

“I don’t think this is normal human behaviour,” Zim said.

“Yeah, no dip Sherlock,” Dib remarked unimpressed.

Zim released Dib’s arm. He pondered aloud to himself, “I don’t get it. Why would a human willingly propose harm to himself?”

Dib frowned at the alien’s words. He looked up at the sky finding the stars already starting to show.  _ Meh, whatever. It’s not like anyone was expecting him home or anything. _

Zim turned to the human, “ _ Why?” _

Dib had never wanted to say so many things at once before in his whole life.  _ Because I’m a waste. Because I have no use. Because I’m a disappointment. Because I’m an embarrassment. Because I’m too much of a coward to just end it already. _

Zim frowned at the humans silence. For the first time ever, he felt pity for the boy. “Come  _ on  _ Dib! I can’t fight my nemesis if he’s already fighting  _ himself.”  _ The alien tried to hold in his plead as he shook the boy by the shoulders.

Silence still rang within the woods. Dib stood on the brink of tears, unsure of how to respond.

“You’re shaking Dib.” The alien stated plainly. 

Was he really? He didn’t notice, haha. Don suddenly became aware of himself and felt a panic attack about to set in. His breathing quickened and his heartbeat as if it were going to explode. He clutched his rib cage desperately trying to contain his newfound whimpers.

Suddenly, he felt something. He opened the eyes he didn’t know he was closing, and calmed his breathing a bit. The feeling was strange, he didn’t even register what was happening until Zim spoke up.

“This is what humans do, right?” He questioned.

Realization set in. Dib noticed he was being  _ hugged.  _ Had he ever been hugged before? Ever? It felt so good. It made his heart dance with glee.

“Yeah…”

After what seemed like forever, Zim pushed the human away with mixed emotions. Were humans really that warm? Dib was like a fricken heater.

Zim cleared his throat, “ **_I_ ** ,,, think this...uh, yeah.  _ ANYWAY,  _ now that I have showed your primitive act of care, will you not harm yourself anymore Dib-human?”

Dib couldn’t look the alien in the eye. He just felt overcome with embarrassment. Even after Zim, ZIM of all people showed any ounce of kindness towards him, he still wasn’t satisfied. Dib cursed himself, ‘ _ greedy.’ _

Zim poked at the human, “Hello?! Dib?”

Dib didn’t make eye contact with the Irken. “Yeah, sure,” he stated half heartedly.

Zim grinned, “EXCELLENT! Now, I must get back to my base at once!” The alien sprang into the trees with his spider-like Pak legs in a flash.

Dib was dazed. He looked at his trench coat, then back at his arms. The boy frowned. This is it. He’s done. Not even turning over a possible new-leaf with his rival could save him now. 

Dib turned in the direction of not his house, but a steep cliff. He set his trench coat on the edge and looked at the abyss below him.

This is it. One final breath. It’s all over. He took a step with his arms out and held in a breath.

He heard a high pitched voice frantically screaming his name, but it was too late for him now.

He was already gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for all that angst. I really need to work on pacing, haba


End file.
